From ships’ muster roll book, 1793 – 1795; Society of Merchant Venturers’ archive. Muster roll no: SMV 173.
Muster Roll for the ship, the Mermaid , 1792,
The Mermaid left Bristol for the Gambia, buying probably 159 slaves. The ship had 23 crew: 16 died of fever whilst on the African coast. 19 of the slaves died during a slave rebellion on board.
The 128 slaves who survived the Atlantic crossing were sold in Grenada.

See also Articles of Agreement for the ship, the Mermaid .

The muster roll is a list of all crew signed on for all or part of a voyage, which was used to calculate the money each man should pay to the Sailors Hospital Fund (insurance).

The Society of Merchant Venturers is a Bristol-based organisation, which was formed in 1552 as an elite body of merchants involved in overseas trade. The Society still exists today.